Israel Israel Official name: State of Israel Area: 20,770 square kilometers (8,019 square miles) Highest point on mainland: Mount Meron (Har Meron) (1,208 meters/3,963 feet) Lowest point on land: Dead Sea (408 meters/1,339 feet below sea level) Hemispheres: Northern and Eastern P.M.

= noon GMT Longest distances: 320 kilometers (200 miles) from north to south; 110 kilometers (70 miles) from east to west Land boundaries: 1,006 kilometers (625 miles) total boundary length; Egypt 255 kilometers (158 miles); Gaza Strip 51 kilometers (32 miles); Jordan 238 kilometers (148 miles); Lebanon 79 kilometers (49 miles); Syria 76 kilometers (47 miles); West Bank 307 kilometers (191 miles) Coastline: 273 kilometers (170 miles) Territorial sea limits: 22 kilometers (12 nautical miles) 1 LOCATION AND SIZE Israel is a small country located in the Middle East, bordering Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan and the West Bank to the east, the Gulf of Aqaba to the south, Egypt and the Gaza Strip to the southwest, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Israel consists of six administrative districts or mehoz: Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, and Tel Aviv.

2 TERRITORIES AND DEPENDENCIES In addition to the land within the country's original 1948 borders, Israel also controls the areas known as the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and the Gaza Strip These are collectively called the occupied territories. They were captured from Jordan, Syria, and Egypt during wars in 1967 and 1973, and have been occupied by Israel since that time. These occupied territories are not recognized as an integral part of Israel. Syria claims the Golan Heights, while Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank have long sought to become independent of Israel. 3 CLIMATE Israel has a Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and dry; winters are short, warm, and wet. Average summertime temperatures range from 24°C (75°F) at Safed, in the hills of Galilee, to 34°C (93°F) in Elat, the southernmost point of the Negev Desert, where high temperatures in August can reach 46°C (114°F). The hot, dry desert wind called the hamsin can raise the high summer temperatures even higher, as well as fill the air with sand and dust.

Temperatures in January, the coldest month, average 13°C (56°F) on the coastal plain and 16°C (60°F) in the southern desert. Rainfall is lightest in the south, ranging from 3 centimeters (1 inch) per year south of the Dead Sea to 118 centimeters (44 inches) in the hills of Galilee. Most rain falls between October and April. 4 TOPOGRAPHIC REGIONS Located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel occupies most of the region historically known as Palestine. A dramatic variety of physical landscapes are found within Israel's narrow borders, including the hills and mountains of Galilee, the Mediterranean coastal plains, the dry area of the Negev Desert, and the Dead Sea—the lowest point on the surface of the earth. The country can be divided into four major regions: the coastal plain to the west, the upland areas in the central and northern parts of the country, the Great Rift Valley along its eastern border, and the Negev Desert to the south.

The Golan Heights, located to the northeast along the Israeli-Syrian border, is an upland region covering 1,710 square kilometers (660 square miles). Its major topographical sections are the Hermon Range to the north and the Golan plateau to the south. The West Bank (5,878 square kilometers/2,270 square miles) is the former Jordanian section of Palestine, whose major physical features are the hills of Judea and Samaria and the Jordan River Valley. The Gaza Strip is a narrow strip of land at the southern end of Israel's Mediterranean coast, adjacent to Egypt, with an area of only 363 square kilometers (140 square miles) and a maximum width of only 13 kilometers (8 miles). Israel is situated along the border between the African Tectonic Plate and the Arabian Tectonic Plate. The border between these two plates forms part of the Great Rift Valley, the world's most extensive geological fault, which extends southward through eastern Africa as far south as Mozambique. 5 OCEANS AND SEAS Seacoast and Undersea Features Israel lies on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean coastline is almost entirely smooth.

The southern tip of Israel borders the Gulf of Aqaba, a gulf of the Red Sea.The soft pink and red coral that line the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba give the Red Sea its name. Both the coral and the plentiful marine life in these waters make the City of Elat a popular diving and snorkeling center, and home to an extensive underwater observatory and aquarium. Sea Inlets and Straits Israel has no notable sea inlets or straits. The only indentation is at the mouth of the Kishon River, at the port city of Haifa. In the extreme south, Israel also has a short shoreline on the Gulf of Aqaba, an extension of the Red Sea. Coastal Features Israel's smooth coastline is dotted with many sandy beaches. These beach areas are bordered by agricultural land. 6 INLAND LAKES Israel's two major lakes (both called "seas") are the Sea of Galilee (also called Lake Tiberias, or the Kinneret) in the northeast, bordering the Golan Heights; and the Dead Sea to the south along the border with Jordan. The two bodies of water are connected by the Jordan River.

The Sea of Galilee actually contains fresh water, the largest such body of water in the country. The Dead Sea is a large saltwater lake. It is the lowest spot on the surface of Earth. Its high salt and mineral content gives it a bright green hue and makes it extremely easy to float in—it is possible to "sit" on the surface of the lake and remain afloat. 7 RIVERS AND WATERFALLS The Jordan River, which makes up part of the border between Israel and Jordan, is the country's largest and best-known river, as well as its main source of water. Three of its sources—the Banyas, the Dan, and the Hasban—rise on Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights. Along its 322-kilometer (200-mile) course, the Jordan descends over 701 meters (2,300 feet) to the Dead Sea. While the river swells during the rainy season, for most of the year it is a small, muddy stream that can be forded easily at several points. Most of Israel's other rivers are seasonal, drying up in the summer.

Israel's major rivers are the Jordan; the Yarqon, which drains into the Mediterranean near Tel Aviv; and the Kishon, which enters the Mediterranean farther north, near Haifa. All rivers except the Jordan flow into the Mediterranean. 8 DESERTS Descending eastward to the Dead Sea, the Judean Hills turn into the Judean Desert, a scenic wilderness. The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the late 1940s where this desert meets the Dead Sea. Where the Judean Hills end in the south, the Negev Desert begins. Although it comprises two-thirds of Israel's land area, it contains only a small percentage of the population. The Arava, an extremely dry stretch of desert between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea, has an average annual rainfall of less than 2.5 centimeters (1 inch), and its summer temperatures are very high. 9 FLAT AND ROLLING TERRAIN Israel's narrow coastal plain includes the Plain of Judea, south of Tel Aviv, and the Plain of Sharon, between Tel Aviv and Haifa.

Israel's largest plains area is the fertile Esdraelon Plain, which extends southeast from the Mediterranean coast near Mount Carmel to the Jordan River valley, separating Galilee from Samaria. The Kishon River in the west and the Harod River in the east drain this region. The Valley of Jezreel lies at its eastern end, between Mount Gilboa and the Hill of Moreh, and the entire plain itself is often referred to as Jezreel. The hills of Galilee are located in the northern part of the country. Farther south, two hilly regions—Judea and Samaria—make up most of the West Bank and also extend into Israel proper. Nestled in these hills lie the cities of Jerusalem, Nābulus, and Hebron (Al Khalil). Next to Israel's mountains are several valleys: the Hula, between the mountains of Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights; the Caper-naum, near the Sea of Galilee; and the Jezreel Valley, on the Esdraelon Plain, between Mount Gilboa and the Hill of Moreh. The Great Rift Valley runs from north to south along the border between Israel and Jordan.

In this region it is known as the Jordan Valley. 10 MOUNTAINS AND VOLCANOES The highest mountain in Israel (not counting the occupied territories) is Mount Meron in the mountains of Upper Galilee, which rises to 1,208 meters (3,963 feet); the peaks of Lower Galilee rise to only about half this height. To the southwest, at the edge of the coastal city of Haifa, is Mount Carmel, rising to 546 meters (1,790 feet). Topping all these elevations is that of Mitzpeh Shlagim in the Golan Heights, which rises to over 2,224 meters (9,297 feet). It is the second-highest peak of the Hermon Range, whose highest point, Mount Hermon, is in Syria. 11 CANYONS AND CAVES Deep canyons are located at the edges of the Golan Plateau. Small caves can be found throughout the country, which have been used over the last three thousand years as dwellings, storage areas, and even churches.

Sodom Cave, near the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, is a salt cave, a type of cave rarely found because it needs a very specific climate and geographic location in order for it to form. 12 PLATEAUS AND MONOLITHS The Golan Plateau in the Golan Heights extends south of the Hermon Range. It is over 60 kilometers (37 miles) long and at its highest area is over 1,200 meters (3,936 feet) above sea level. 13 MAN-MADE FEATURES Negev | desert region, Israel | Britannica.com desert region, Israel desert Negev, also spelled Negeb, Hebrew Ha-negev, (The Southland), arid region, southern part of Israel , occupying almost half of Palestine west of the Jordan , and about 60 percent of Israeli territory under the 1949–67 boundaries. The name is derived from the Hebrew verbal root n-g-b, “to dry,” or “to wipe dry.” Triangular shaped with the apex at the south, it is bounded by the Sinai Peninsula (west) and the Jordan Rift Valley (east).

Its northern boundary, where the region blends into the coastal plain in the northwest, Har Yehuda (the Judaean Hills) in the north, and the Wilderness of Judaea (Midbar Yehuda) in the northeast, is indistinct. Many use an arbitrary line at about 30°25′ north latitude for the northern boundary. Within these limits, the Negev has an area of about 4,700 sq mi. Zen Cliffs of the Negev Desert Steven C. Kaufman/Bruce Coleman Ltd. Geologically, the area is one of northeast–southwest folds, with many faults. Limestones and chalks predominate. A unique feature is the large elongate makhteshim, or erosion craters, surrounded by high cliffs. These were created by the erosion of upward-folded strata (anticlines), combined with horizontal stresses. The largest of these are Makhtesh Ramon, 23 mi (37 km) long and up to 5 mi wide, and ha-Maktesh ha-Gadol (The Great Crater), about 9 mi long and up to 4 mi wide.

The floors of these craters expose chalks, marls, and gypsums, geologically much older than the walls or surrounding plateaus. Biblical references such as Psalms 126:4 (“Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the water-courses in the Negeb”) point to the semi-arid character of the region from early recorded times. The Negev should not, however, be considered a desert as such; in the Beersheba area (altitude about 800 ft [250 m]), rainfall varies from 8 in. (200 mm) to 12 in. in some years. The latter amount permits unirrigated grain farming. Precipitation decreases to the south; the central Negev plateau (altitude 820–3,395 ft [250–1,035 m]) receives 3–4 in.; rainfall is negligible at Elat at the southern tip. The amount of rainfall varies considerably throughout the region from year to year. Flash flooding is common in the winter rainy season. Most of the rugged region is heavily dissected by wadis, or seasonal watercourses.

Similar Topics Libyan Desert Remains of prehistoric and early historic settlements are abundant. Flint arrowheads of the Late Stone Age (c. 7000 bc) and implements of the Copper and Bronze ages (c. 4000–1400 bc) have been found on the central Negev plateau. The Negev was a pastoral region in biblical times, but the Nabataeans, a Semitic people centred in what is now Jordan, developed techniques of terracing and of conserving winter rains, which made the Negev a thriving agricultural area. It was an important granary of the Roman Empire. After the Arab conquest of Palestine (7th century ad), the Negev was left desolate; for more than 1,200 years it supported only a meagre population of nomadic Bedouin. Modern agricultural development in the Negev began with three kibbutzim (collective settlements) in 1943; others were founded just after World War II , when the first large-scale irrigation projects were initiated. After the creation of the State of Israel (1948), the importance of development of this large portion of the country was realized.

Under the National Water Plan pipelines and conduits bring water from northern and central Israel to the northwestern Negev, which has almost 400,000 ac (more than 160,000 ha) of fertile loess soils. Irrigation, combined with the area’s year-round sunlight, produces fine crops of grain, fodder, fruits, and vegetables. Double-cropping is not uncommon. Exploitation of mineral resources has accompanied agricultural development. Potash, bromine, and magnesium are extracted at Sedom , at the southern end of the Dead Sea; copper is mined at Timnaʿ ; there are large deposits of ball clay and glass sand for the ceramic and glass industries; phosphate works have been established at Oron and Zefaʿ, and natural gas fields at Rosh Zohar. Britannica Stories Geography and History of Ancient Israel I. Introduction Understanding the geographical references in a particular biblical text can sometimes make a significant difference in understanding the point the author is making. Similarly, having an understanding of the historical circumstances under which a text was written as well as the history about which it speaks can make a dramatic difference in how you understand the author's comments.

You should have at least a basic understanding of the geography and history of the area in which the biblical documents arose. This chapter provides a very basic overview of some of the information that you will need for the remainder of the semester. As the course moves forward we will expand on the information presented here and in some cases revise it as we see reasons to make dates and locations of particular cities more precise. the Dead Sea the Mediterranean Sea You may also want to note the Negev ("dry land") to the south of the Central Highlands. Moving eastward from the Mediterranean Sea, you would come ashore on the Coastal Plain. Moving farther East the ground begins to rise into a mountainous region called the Central Highlands or the Central Hill Country. Still further East the land drops sharply into the Jordan Rift, a deep valley at the bottom of which runs the Jordan River. The Sea of Galilee is near the northern end of this valley, and the Dead Sea is at the southern end. Continuing eastward, the land rises on the eastern side of the Jordan into a region called the Transjordanian Highlands.

This region is sometimes called simply Transjordan, meaning "across the Jordan (River)." The regions of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Gilead, and Bashan (not labelled on the map here) are all located in the Transjordanian Highlands. B. Cities to Locate You should be able to identify the following cities on a map: Ur (Southern Mesopotamia; see map below.) Haran (As far north as possible in the fertile crescent; see map below) Hazor (See the map to the right. Hazor lies to the north of the Sea of Galilee, but south of Lake Huleh.) Qumran (the place near which the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Qumran was located on the north-west shore of the Dead Sea, almost directly east from Jerusalem and south from Jericho.) Shechem (See the map to the right. Shechem was located near the later site of Samaria Sebaste.) Samaria (The city of Samaria, not the region known by that name, is shown on the map to the right. Samaria lay near Shechem, but slightly to the west-northwest.

Both cities were located in the region later called Samaria.) Jerusalem (in Judah; See the map to the right.) You should also have a rough idea of the routes of two important highways: the Via Maris (way of the sea) and the King's Highway (North/South through the Transjordan). These highways are not pictured on the maps presented here. The Via Maris ran from Egypt in the South to Damascus in the far North. For most of this distance it followed the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. As one traveled north the highway moved inland passing through Hazor, then turned East to cross the Jordan River and continue northeast to Damascus. The Kings Highway ran north and south through the Transjordan. III. History A. The origins of Israel: The Hebrews/Israelites/Jews and the land of Canaan/Israel/Palestine The name "Israel" comes from one of the ancestors of the people known by that name. According to Genesis Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, had his name changed to 'Israel' by God. His descendants eventually became known as the people of Israel (i.e. the descendants of Israel).

Genesis says that Abraham, the grandfather of Jacob/Israel, left his homeland in Ur, a city in Mesopotamia, and traveled to Haran in the northernmost extension of the fertile crescent. He later left Haran and travelled south to the land of Canaan (which is now called Palestine). Abraham and his descendants are presented as nomadic people. The people of the region called such wandering Arameans 'Apiru (Habiru). In the language of Abraham's descendants, this word became 'ibri, which we translate into English as 'Hebrew'. Not all of the people called 'Apiru by the Canaanites were what the Bible calls Hebrews, though. The account in Torah continues by saying that the descendants of Jacob/Israel were eventually enslaved by the Egyptians. After several hundred years in captivity, they were delivered under the leadership of Moses. They returned to a nomadic lifestyle for about one generation, then came to occupy the land of Canaan, renaming it "Israel" ('the land of Israel').

When they had possession of the land, it became known as 'Israel' and they became known as "Israelites," so the change of name of the land from Canaan to Israel coincides with the change in the name of the people from Hebrews to Israelites. The term Israel is ambiguous. It is sometimes used to refer to the people (the nation), sometimes to the place where the twelve tribes of Israel lived (the land of Israel) and later to the northern part of that land, where 10 of the original 12 tribes lived after the nation split in 922 BCE. After that split, the area occupied by the two southern tribes was called 'Judah' (after the tribe of Judah), and the people who lived there are sometimes called Judeans and sometimes Judahites. In 721/722 BCE the northern kingdom (which was still called 'Israel') was defeated by the Assyrians. The leading citizens were carried off into captivity, and the northern kingdom (Israel) was never reestablished. After this time the term Israel is sometimes used to refer to the occupants of the southern kingdom (Judah), further confusing the terminology.

In 587 BCE the Babylonians conquered the southern kingdom, Judea, and took its leading citizens off into captivity. A little over one generation later, when the Persians conquered the Babylonians, the people of Judea were allowed to return home. Over time they came to be called 'Jews', a shortened form of 'Judeans'. When the Romans conquered the region shortly before the time of Jesus, they took the name, 'Philistia' (which had earlier applied only to the southwestern coastal plain occupied by the Philistines), and applied it to the entire region , including the land occupied by the Jews and their neighbors. It is from this word, 'Philistia,' that we get our modern English name 'Palestine.' B. Major Powers in the Ancient Near East and their influence on Israel You should be able to identify the following centers of power on a map. I have included in this section a fair amount of detail that may not be presented in class. While you will not need to know all of this at this time, make sure that you (1) know the location of each of the powers mentioned here and (2) have a general idea of why that power is important for our understanding of ancient Israel.

1. Egypt Egypt was a power long before the rise of Israel and remained a significant force until almost the time of the rise of Christianity (although it was under Greek rule for the later part of this period). According to Genesis, Abraham's grandson Jacob and his family, pushed by famine in Canaan, went to Egypt to find food. (Some have proposed that this could possibly have been during the reign of the Hyksos, a semitic group that had infiltrated Egyptian society in the 17th century BCE and ruled until 1560 BCE.) The descendants of Jacob, called the Hebrews, were eventually enslaved by the larger Egyptian society according to Exodus. If the Hebrew people were in Egypt at the time of the Hyksos, they would have been there at the time of Amenhotep IV--who changed his name to Akhenaton (Akhen-Aton, "It is well with Aton"). Akhenaton demanded that only Aton, the sun god be worshipped. His reform appears to have demanded henotheism (worship of only one god, but without denying the existence of others) rather than monotheism, though.

Some historians believe that it was under Ramses II (1290-1224 BCE), during the height of the Egyptian Empire, that the Hebrew people escaped slavery there. Ramses II tended to record even his defeats as victories, so if the Hebrews escaped at this time, it would make sense that the event is not mentioned in the Egyptian records. It is possible that the Israelites (as the Hebrews were called after they established themselves in Canaan) had already settled in Canaan by 1220 BCE. Egyptian records tell of Merneptah (the son of Ramses II) defeating the Israelites in Canaan. 2. Hittites The Hittites, located in Anatolia (what was later called Asia Minor, northwest of the Fertile Crescent), fought with the Egyptians at about this time, creating a balance of power that would allow an opportunity for changes of control in Canaan (located within the rectangle in the map to the above). This is likely to be the period at which the Hebrew people took control there. 3.

Three Mesopotamian Empires: Assyria, Babylonia, Persia Three different empires based in Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers would later dominate Israel. The Assyrians, located in central Mesopotamia, eventually conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel (721-722 BCE) and took its upper class people away into captivity. They resettled some of their own people among the remaining Israelites. While the Assyrians never completely destroyed the Southern Kingdom (Judah), they did defeat most of its cities and put constant pressure on Judah in the forms of taxes and threats. The Babylonians, located in southern Mesopotamia, conquered the Southern Kingdom and took some of its leading citizens into exile in 597 BCE, making Judah a vassal state. In 589-587 BCE Judah rebelled. The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and took the remaining upper class citizens into captivity. The Persians, later conquered the Babylonians and allowed the Jews to return home (+/- 538-539 BCE).

Judah remained a vassal state in the Persian Empire until Alexander the Great defeated the Persians in 333 BCE. 4. The Greeks (Macedonians) In 333 BCE Alexander the Great wrested Judah from Persian control and took it into his growing Empire. The Greeks dominated the territory of the old state of Israel from 333 BCE till the late 160's when Israel won its independence. Greek thought and customs still continued to have an influence in the region long after this time. 5. The Romans The Romans took control of Israel in 63 BCE in the middle of a dispute between two rival Jewish leaders and ruled the area through client kings and direct governors until well after the lifetime of Jesus. C. Major Periods in the History of Ancient Israel You should know the dates for the following periods and be able to give a brief explanation of the name (i.e., Why is the first period called the "patriarchal" period?). There is significant doubt about the dates for the first three periods. Patriarchal Period or Ancestral Period perhaps as early as c.

1850-1700 BCE but possibly later This period begins with the travels of Abraham and ends with the Hebrew people in slavery in Egypt. Mosaic Period perhaps c. 1250-1200 BCE This period begins with the rise of Moses in Egypt, includes the departure of the Hebrew people from Egypt, and ends with the death of Moses on the border of Canaan. Period of the Judges perhaps c. 1200-1020 BCE The period of the judges begins with the conquest/infiltration of the land of Canaan and ends with the naming of Saul as Israel's first king. The United Kingdom c. 1020-922 BCE The United Kingdom lasted for a very short time. All Israel was united under Saul, then David, then Solomon. At the death of Solomon the nation divided over the choice of Solomon's successor. The Divided Kingdom c. 922-721 BCE On the death of Solomon the nation of Israel split. The northern ten tribes kept the name "Israel" and the southern tribes adopted the name "Judah". These two new nations coexisted until 721 BCE when the Assyrians destroyed the northern kingdom.

The Judean Period c. 721-587 After the destruction of the northern kingdom, Judah existed without its northern neighbor until it was conquered by the Babylonians in 597 BCE and destroyed in 587. The Babylonian Exile c. 587-538 BCE Both in 597 and 587 BCE the Babylonians took Judean captives into exile in Babylon. They remained there until freed by Cyrus of Persia in 538 BCE. Some stayed in Babylon even after Cyrus freed them. The Persian Period c. 538-333 BCE From 538 to 333 BCE Judah remained under Persian control. The former nation was now a province of the Persian Empire. The Hellenistic Period c. 333-63 BCE In 333 BCE Alexander the Great wrested Judah from Persian control and began an aggressive policy of hellenization (imposition of hellenistic culture). [The people that English speakers call Greeks called themselves the Hellens.] From this time forward until the mid 160's BCE Judah was ruled directly by foreign (usually Syrian) Greek rulers.

In the 160's Israel (originally only Judah but later the old northern kingdom as well) won its independence. The Greek influence remained strong, though, even in this period of independence. The Roman Period 63 BCE-135 CE In 63 BCE the Romans responded to a plea for assistance in a dynastic struggle in Israel and took control of the region. They continued the policies of hellenization begun by Alexander. The Negev: An Undisputable Part of Israel's Past and Present | United with Israel Share Tweet Email The Negev Desert is rich in Jewish history and is legally recognized by the international community as part of the State of Israel, despite this the Palestinian Authority has labeled the Negev as a settlement. Al Hayat Al Jadida,the Palestinian Authority official daily newspaper claimed the Negev is a ‘settlement’ in a recent article, Palestinian Media Watch reports. The Palestinian Authority also claims that all Jewish communities in mainland Israel, not just the disputed Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, to be settlements , and part of Palestine or occupied Palestine.

This implies that Israel is still building settlements whether or not they are in Judea and Samaria, so long as Israel building in an area that the Palestinians claim as their own. However, out of all of the areas within mainland Israel where Israel builds, anti-Israel activists tend to focus on the Negev the most. Without the Negev Desert, Israel would be a small non-viable state, a fact which motivates anti-Israel activists to focus on it. The article in Al Hayat Al Jadida referred to Israel building in the Negev as a “settlement trick,” in actuality this is part of a ploy by anti-Israel activists to attempt to separate the Negev Desert from the Jewish people, because the Negev makes up 66 percent of the State of Israel. Any Israeli withdrawal from the Negev would allow for Palestinians in Judea and Samaria to connect PA controlled areas there to Gaza and Egypt.

The International Community has recognized the Negev as part of Israel Before its founding, David Ben-Gurion viewed the Negev as pivotal to the future of any Israeli state and he successfully argued for the Negev’s inclusion as part of a Jewish state at the United Nations during the Partition Plan discussions. Even though the UN Partition Plan was rejected by the Arabs, almost all countries outside the Muslim world today recognize that Israel has a right to exist within the pre-1967 borders. This implies that the community of nations has already recognized the Negev as part of Israel, regardless of the outcome of any peace negotiations with the Palestinians. Jewish History in the Negev The Negev is also filled with Jewish history. Ancient Jewish texts write about desert oasis of Ein Gedi which is located within the Negev. King David, while fleeing from King Saul, hid in Ein Gedi. The Song of Songs attributed to King Solomon says, “My beloved to me is a spray of henna blooms from the vineyards of Ein Gedi.” The Talmud claims that Jews continued to live in Ein Gedi following the destruction of the First Temple and Ein Gedi had a thriving Jewish community during the times of the Second Temple.

Jews continued to live in the area of Ein Gedi up through the sixth century, when the community was wiped out during oppressions instigated by Byzantine Emperor Justinian. In modern times however, Jews have returned to Ein Gedi which is now a national park, and Kibbutz Ein Gedi has a population of about 250 people today. Masada is another important piece of Jewish history to be found in the Negev. The Masada Fortress which was built by King Herod , who ruled Israel during the times of the Roman Empire. After the great Jewish revolt against Rome in 70 CE, the Zealot group fled to the Masada Fortress, where they continued to fight against Roman oppression until they chose mass suicide rather than giving in to the yoke of Roman tyranny. Today the Masada Fortress of the Negev, is the second most popular tourist destination in Israel and Israeli soldiers often take their oaths at the archaeological site. Geography & Nature in Israel Geography & Nature in Israel Geography & Nature in Israel Israel is located in Southwest Asia between the Mediterranean and the deserts of Syria and Arabia.

On this Page: Accommodations » GENERAL INFORMATION Israel is located in Southwest Asia between the Mediterranean and the deserts of Syria and Arabia. The country's geographical borders are the Mediterranean to the West, the Jordan Valley Rift to the East, the mountains of Lebanon to the North with Eilat Bay marking the country's southern tip. Although small in territory, Israel's landscape and climate are varied, and its dense population does not interfere with a wealth of plants and wildlife, as well as many natural attractions. Back To Top Geographic regions Israel is divided into three main regions lengthwise: the coastal plain, the mountain region, and the Jordan Valley Rift. Coastal plain The country's western strip, stretching from Rosh Ha-Nikra in the north to the Sinai Peninsula in the south. The plain is 4-7 kilometers wide in the north, expanding as it moves southward to about 50 kilometers. The soil in the coastal plain is fertile; there are several water sources, and the region includes the country’s major transportation arteries. The coastal plain is densely populated with most of Israel's major cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa .

The plain is divided from north to south into the Galilee Plain, the Acre Plain, the Carmel Plain, the Sharon Plain, the Mediterranean Coastal Plain, and the Southern Coastal Plain. East of the coastal plain are the lowlands – moderate hills that create a transitional region between the coast and the mountains. Mountain region The mountainous region stretches from Lebanon in the north to Eilat Bay in the south, between the coastal plain and the Jordan Valley Rift. Its highest peaks are the Galilee's Mt. Meron at 1,208 meters above sea level, Samaria's Mt. Ba’al Hatsor at 1,016 meters and the Negev's Mt. Ramon at 1,037 meters above sea level. Most of the less densely populated mountainous region is stone or rocky ground. The climate in the northern mountainous regions is Mediterranean and rainy, while the southern sections are a desert. The key stretches of the mountainous region are the Galilee in the north, the Carmel , the hills of Samaria, the Judean hills, and the Negev highlands.

The contiguity of the mountainous region is interrupted at two points by major valleys – the Yizre'el (Jezre'el) Valley separating the Galilee mountains from the hills of Samaria, and the Be'er Sheva -Arad Rift separating the Judean hills from the Negev highlands. The eastern slopes of the Samarian hills and Judean hills are the Samarian and Judean deserts. Jordan Valley Rift The rift extends the entire length of Israel from the northern town of Metula to the Red Sea in the south. The rift was caused by seismic activity, and is part of the Afro-Syrian rift which extends from the Syrian-Turkish border to the Zambezi River in Africa. Israel's largest river, the Jordan, flows through the Jordan Valley and includes Israel's two lakes: the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) , the largest body of fresh water in Israel, and the salt water Dead Sea , the lowest point on earth. The Jordan Valley is divided from north to south into the H ula Valley , the Kinneret Valley, the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea Valley and the Arava. Golan Heights The hilly Golan region is east of the Jordan River.

The Israeli Golan Heights are the end of a large basalt plain, mostly located in Syria. North of the Golan Heights is Mt. Hermon, Israel's highest peak at 2,224 meters above sea level. Back To Top Climate Israel is in a subtropical region, with two seasons: a hot, dry summer period and a cold, semi-wet to wet winter period. Nonetheless, under general influences such as Israel's position between a sea and a desert, and more localized influences such as altitude and distance from the sea, Israel's climate is varied, offering tourists the winter choice between skiing on Mt. Hermon and swimming in the Bay of Eilat. Israel has three climatic regions: the prevalent climate in most of central and northern Israel is Mediterranean, characterized by hot summers and rainy winters. The coastal plain is humid during the summer and comfortable during the winter, while in the mountains summer is dry and winter can get quite cold. Southern and eastern parts of Israel have desert climates with hot, dry weather and substantial day-night temperature differences. Between the desert and Mediterranean regions, is the semi-arid zone, with a transitional climate.

Israel is a land of bright sunshine, and the amounts of light and radiation are among the highest in the world. This ensures a good suntan, but requires appropriate protection. Most of Israel's precipitation is winter rains. Mt. Hermon gets snow every year and a few of the higher peaks see occasional snow in winter. In most of the Mediterranean climate zone, more than 400 millimeters of rain fall annually, while in the desert regions, rainfall is less than 250 millimeters. Rainfall in the semi-arid region ranges between 300 and 400 millimeters. Although the rainy season lasts from October through May, most of the rain falls between December and February. The hottest months of the dry season are July and August. During September-November and April-June, temperatures are comfortable and there is little rainfall, making for ideal beach going weather and pleasant hiking in the desert regions. Visitors to Israel in the summer should bring light clothing and bathing suits. Winter visitors should have warm clothes and umbrellas. Israel's winter is fairly comfortable and hiking outdoors is a pleasant option. In an unusually wet week, the southern port city of Eilat always offers refuge from the rain.

Additional information and regular weather reports are available at the Israel Meteorological Service internet site or at 972 – 3 – 968 2121 Recorded weather reports: 972 – 3 - 5600 600 Back To Top Flora and Fauna Due to its location at a climatic and geographical crossroads, Israel offers a surprising wealth of plant life. Israel boasts a total of approximately 2,380 kinds of flora, including many endemic varieties found only here. The variety of flora is much larger than many far bigger countries. The largest concentration of plant life can be found in the Mediterranean region, mostly in the forms of thicket and undergrowth. Much of Israel has been deforested by mankind, although there are a few impressive remnants of indigenous forest in the mountainous regions (for instance on Mt. Carmel and Mt. Meron in the Galilee). In the desert regions, plant life is sparse, with a few enclaves of subtropical species such as at Ein Gedi and in the Jordan Valley. The semi-arid region has both desert and Mediterranean plant life. Israel has several botanical gardens, such as at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Mt.

Scopus campus, which is dedicated entirely to Israel's wild plant life. Israel provides a habitat for rich wildlife, including animals originating in various zoogeographical regions that surround the country. This is particularly evident among insect and bird varieties, although reptiles and mammals are also well-represented. Israel has about 100 kinds of wild mammals, an impressive number in contrast to the 140 varieties of wild mammals living in all of Europe. Animals that originate in the cooler European region are found alongside mammals originating in desert regions of Arabia and Egypt with mammals that originate in Africa and in the Indian subcontinent. Although many Israeli mammals are rare or nocturnal, several are easily spotted including deer, ibex, hyrax and jackals. Among the country’s zoos are the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem, the Safari Park in Ramat Gan and the Khai Bar Reserve near Yotveta in the Arava. About 510 species of birds have been spotted in Israel, most of them migratory species that fly through in the fall and spring. Israel is a bottleneck on many migration paths, and millions of birds pass through in the two seasons.

Migrations can be observed in the Hula Reserve, the bird site at Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin in the Beit She'an valley, as well as at the Kibbutz Lotan Bird Watching Center in the Arava and at the International Birding and Research Center in Eilat. At Israel's southern tip, on the coast of the Red Sea, there is a rich world of marine life, including tropical fish and colorful coral. Many can be observed at Eilat's Underwater Observatory and Marine Museum, or by scuba diving in the area. Back To Top Rivers and Seas With little rainfall, the water in most of Israel's streams is seasonal. Israel's largest river is the 250-kilometer Jordan which runs from the Hula Valley south through the Kinneret to the Dead Sea. The Jordan originates in three short tributaries – Dan, Hermon and Snir – which travel through lovely landscape and attract many tourists. There are also a number of perennial rivers in the coastal plain, including the Taninim (crocodiles) and Yarkon Rivers.

Several steep streams descend eastwards from the mountainous region, some creating beautiful canyons (including Amud, Tirtsa, Prat, Kidron and Arugot). Israel's largest streams cut impressive canyons through the Negev landscape. The most prominent southern streams include Tse'elim, Tsin, Paran, Besor and Ha-Arava. In the winter months, there is a danger of flooding in the Negev streams. Israel's main bodies of water are the Kinneret and Dead Sea. The Kinneret is the largest body of fresh water, a popular swimming site and also the location of many of Christianity's holy sites. The Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, attracts many nature-lovers as well as tourists interested in the waters' curative powers. The rest of Israel's bodies of water, including the remnants of the Hula Lake, are much smaller. Climate and Seasons in Israel Climate in Israel Climate and Seasons in Israel Israel is located, between 29°-33° north of the equator, which is characterized as a subtropical region, between the temperate zone and the tropical zone.

The northern and coastal regions of Israel show Mediterranean climate characterized by hot and dry summers and cool rainy winters. Whereas the southern and eastern areas of Israel are characterized by an arid climate. The rainy season extends from October to early May, and rainfall peaks in December through February. Rainfall varies considerably by regions from the North to the South. Highest rainfall is observed in the North and center parts of the country and decreases in the southern part of Israel, from the Negev Desert to Eilat where rainfall is negligible. Heavy snow falls only in the northernmost part of Golan Heights where the Mount Hermon summit (2,224 m above sea level) remains generally snow covered from December to March. In other parts of the country snow is observed rarely. The city of Eilat, located at the southernmost point of Israel and at the northern tip of Red Sea, has a good climate for beach holidays all year round. Related resources:

Question: What is the desert that occupies the southern part of Israel?
Answer: NEGEV